Healthier Easter treats to balance out your week: Part 2

Easter can, for some, be a time of great indulgence, with chocolate lurking at every turn. Indulging in some chocolate is all part of the fun, but if you want something a bit healthier, here are some ideas that can still embody some of the Easter stuff we love.

Easter Nests

Difficulty: easy

Prep time: 15 minutes

Setting time: 3 hours

Makes 8

Ingredients:

200g dark chocolate

2 cups lightly broken unsalted pretzels

Mini chocolate eggs for filling

Method:

Pop a pot with a small amount of water on the stove and place a heatproof bowl over the top to create a double boiler to melt the chocolate.

Break the chocolate up roughly and toss it in the bowl, stirring occasionally until completely smooth.

Add the pretzel pieces and stir well to coat them evenly.

Line a muffin tray with muffin cases and spoon the mixture inside along the bottom and sides. Add a couple of chocolate eggs into the ‘nest’ and then pop them in the fridge for at least three hours.

Once the baskets are set and you are ready to serve them, slide them out of their cases.

Apricot and Macadamia Chickens

Difficulty: easy

Prep time: 20 minutes

Setting time: 1 hour

Decorating time: 20 minutesMakes 10

Ingredients:

1 cup dried apricots

1/2 cup macadamia nuts

1/2 cup desiccated coconut

1 tablespoon coconut oil

For decoration:

1/2 cup desiccated coconut

A few drops of yellow colouring (optional)

20 goji berries

10 dried apricots

Method:

Place 1 cup dried apricots, ½ cup desiccated coconut, ½ cup macadamia nuts and the coconut oil into a food processor. Blitz until the mixture is fine and sticky.

Take a tablespoon of the mixture and roll it into an oval ball. Repeat until all the mixture has been used.

Mix another ½ cup of desiccated coconut with a few drops of yellow food colouring (if using) and work it through with your fingertips. Roll each oval in the desiccated coconut, ensuring a good coverage, for ‘feathers’.

Stick in a goji berry for the beak, and slice a goji berry in half for eyes.

Place in the fridge for an hour to set.

Meanwhile, flatten the remaining dried apricots with the palm of your hand then slice into feet shapes using a small sharp knife. Press your chooks onto their ‘feet’ before serving.